Electrical device



' Oct. 20, 1936. c. H. GUNTHORP 2,057,713

I ELECTRICAL DEVICE Filed May 25, 1932 t atented Get. 20, W36

a; s I

2&57318 acs'zsis amoraroer. nnvron Cecil H. Gunthorp, Des Plaines, Ill, assignor to Economy Fuse and Manufacturing 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation or New York Application May 23, 1932, Serial No. 612,930

, 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical deevices or attachments, andmore in particular to I attachment plug caps.

'provide novel means for attaching a terminal member to a body of material forming the body of a finished electrical device or attachment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel means for attaching the terminal members of an attachment plug cap to the body thereof, whereby the terminal members are securely held in their proper associated relation therewith, as well as being in substantially material after the same has been formed and fabricated.

' Still another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal member for electrical devicesor the like, having suitable means for attaching the. same to a body of material, such,

means including a leg. of spring-like construction adapted to have engaging relation with the body of material for rigidly and securely connecting the terminal member thereto.

Still a further object. of the present invention is to provide a terminal: member of novel construction for electrical. devices and the like, which includes a leg portion having a surface adapted to engage with the body of material, suitable means being provided for moving this surface intoits engaging relation with the body of material for holding theterminal member in its proper associated relationtherewith.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a terminal member of novel construction for electrical devices and the like, which is formed with a leg portion provided with a roughened surface having a plurality of protuberancesand in which suitable means is provided .for forcing these protuberances into the body of material for securing the terminal member thereto.

The present invention also comprehends the idea of providing a novel terminal member having depending legs which are suitably spaced apart and which may be angularly disposed in relation one to the other, or in parallel relation, and having means for engagement with the body -of material forming the electrical device or the like, the'disposition of these leg portions being such as to provide a-ilrm and relatively stable connection for the terminal member to the body of material. I

Still another object within the purview of the present invention is to provide a terminal membar for electrical devices or the like, in which i the depending leg thereof is formed with a free endportion which is adapted, when the leg is inserted within a suitable recess or opening of the body of material, to act as a spring or wedge member adapted to hold the leg in its association with the body of material.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a terminal member of novel construction in which this free end portion of the leg or legs is provided with a laterally extending part formed with a knife-like edge, this laterally extending part being adapted to dig into the material for anchoring the terminal member and to suitably position the same in relation to the body of material.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 info fragmentary view in cross section of an electrical device made in accordance with other terminal member made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the terminal CJI member shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawtion and incorporating terminal members shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawing; and Figure 17 is a view in elevation of the attachment plug cap shown in Figure 16 of the drawing.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an electrical device made in accordance with the present invention is disclosed in Figure 1 as comprising a base or body of material 2 to which is secured a terminal member 4. As more clearly shown in Figures 2 to 4 inclusive, this terminal member 4 comprises a base 8 formed with a screw-threaded opening 8 which is adapted to receive a wire'binding screw, the shank end portion of which is adapted to have movement within the recess oropening ifl provided in the body of material 2. This base 6 is further formed with the arcuately disposed arms l2 and i4 extending in opposite directions and which terminate in downwardly depending legs l6 and I8, respectively. Each of these legs 56 and I8 is of similar construction and is formed with an upturned lug or free end which has an endportion 22 laterally disposed in relation to the lug '28 and which is formed with a knife edge 24. The outer faces of these leg portions I6 and I8 are rough- "ened, as disclosed at 26, to form a plurality of protuberances fora purpose to behereinafter more fully disclosed. In the present; embodiment, these leg surfaces are shown as'wfbeing of serrated formation, although it is'of course un--- 36 of the body of material as to form a seat for the base 6- of the terminal member 4, whereby the upper surface of the base 6 is substantially flush with this upper surface 36 when the terminal member 4 is in its proper position. This recess 32 is further formed with cavities or recesses 38 and 48 so positioned in relation to the cavity 32 as to receivethe depending legportions i8 and I8 when'the terminal member is inserted in position. From the disclosure shown in Figure 1, it wilLbe quite apparent that upon inserting the leg portions l6 .and I8 into the cavities or recesses 38 and 48, respectively, the

free end portions 28 of these legs engage with the walls of these cavities to force the roughened surface 26 of these legs into engagement with the body of material 2 to such an extent that the protuberances thereof dig into this body of material to prevent removal of the terminal member. These free end portions 20 of thelegs' serve in a spring-like capacity to cause intimate relation between the legs and the body of material, and are in turn formed with the laterally disposed portions 22, the knife edge 24 of which also digs into the material forming the cavities, whereby these legsare locked in position in association with the body of material 2 and for an-.

posed at an angle one. to the other. upwardly from the base portion 48 is a contactchoring these terminal members in their proper position.

- In accordance with Figures 16 and 17 of the drawing, the body of material 2 discussed in connection with Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, may take the formof the body part of the attachment plug cap 82. In Figures 16 an& 1'7, the body 42 of the attachment plug cap is, formed with the opening 44, on opposite sides of which may be'disposed terminal members 4 made, in accordance with the disclosure in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, these terminal members 4 being formed with contact portions 28, and the same are so positioned in relation to the body 42 of this attachment plug cap member that these contact portions are in substantially parallel relation.

These terminal members 4 are likewise formed with the screw-threaded opening 8 in the base thereof for receiving the wire binding screws 46.

The legs l6 and I8 of this embodiment arespaced apart a relatively great distance to providesubstantial rigidity for the terminal members, and the same are angularly disposed in relation to one another in order to provide against lateral movement of the blade portion 28 thereof.

. In Figure 5 of the drawing is disclosed another construction for the terminal member of the present disclosure, the same comprising a base 48 formed with a screw-threaded opening 50 for receiving a wire binding'screw, laterally projecting arm portions 52 and 54 being provided on this base member which temiinate in downwardly depending leg portions 56 and 58, respectively, which are of a construction similar to the leg portions l8 and I8 of the hereinbefore referred to embodiment. In this terminal member, how-' ever, these leg portions 56 and 58 are disposed in spaced and parallel relation instead of being dis- Extending tending therefrom in angular relation one to the other. These arm portions 66 and 88 terminate in downwardly depending legs 18 and 12 corresponding in all essential details to the leg portions hereinbefore described. It will be noted that the contact member 14 of this. embodiment, instead of being formed integrally with and being centrally' disposed in relation to the base 62, extends upwardly from adjacent an end of the arm portion 68 and substantially above the leg portion 12. As in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, these leg portions 10 and 12 depend from the angularly disposed arm portions 86 and 68 and; are spaced apart at a relatively great distance, these leg portions being disposed in substantially parallel relation and providing a substantially. rigid connection for the terminal member.

InfFigur'es9 and 10 isdisclosed a still further terminate in downwardly'depending legs 82 and 84, respectively, of similar construction to the leg portions hereinbefore described. As in the embodimentshownin Flguresfi, 7 and 8, the contact portion 88 extends upwardlyv from the arm aosrfiis' portion 80 and substantially above the leg portion 05. This alternative construction for a terminal member varies from the construction of the terminal membershown in Figures 6 to 8 inclusive in that the leg portions 82 and at, in-

v stead of being angularly disposed in relation to one another, are substantially in parallel rela- Stand 96 oppositely disposed in relation there-' to and extending in substantially parallel relation, the same terminating in leg portions 96 and '98 corresponding in essential details to the leg portions above referred to. In this embodiment, the contact portion I00 extends upwardly from the base portion 88 and is in substantially par- 4 allel relation with the leg portions 03 and 98. As clearly shown in the figures, the leg portions 90 and 98 are in substantially parallel relation with one another and are spaced a substantial distance apart, thereby providing a construction which will result in a substantially rigid attachment for connecting the terminal member to the body of material.

In Figure 12 of the drawing is disclosed another embodiment made in accordance with the present invention, the same corresponding essen tially to the construction shown in Figure 11 and comprising a base I02 formed with a screwthreaded opening I00, this base having the arm portions use and I08 integrally connected therewith and on opposite sides thereof and in substantially parallel relation therewith, these arms I06 and I08 terminating in downwardly depending leg portions H0 and H2, respectively. In this embodiment, the leg portions H0 and IE2 are formed with the roughened surfaces facing toward the contact member vIlil which extends upwardly from the base I02, and in this respect this embodiment varies from the embodiment shown in Figure 11.

In Figure 13 of the drawing is disclosed still another terminal member made in accordance with the present invention, and the same comprises a base IIfi formed with-a screw-threaded opening Sill, this base IIS being formed with diverging arm portions I20 and I22 extending from one side thereof in angular relation, the

same terminating in leg portions I'M and I26, respectively, which correspond in all essentials to the leg portions hereinbefore disclosed. In this embodiment, the contact member I28 is formed integral with the arm portion I22 and extends upwardly therefrom. I

In Figure 14 of the drawing is disclosed-still a further terminal member made in accordance with the present invention and the same com- 'Each of the leg portions I38 is formed with a roughened surface I44 in accordance with the present disclosure, while the upstanding lug I40 thereof is provided with a laterally extending part I46 terminating in a knife-like edge I08, which serves in the capacity ofthe knife-like edge 34 of the previously described leg portions.

In-Figure 15 of the drawing, still another terminal member made in accordance with the present invention is disclosed as being formed from a piece of metal bent to provide a base portion I50 having an upstanding contact portion I52 disposed in substantially normal relation thereto, the base portion I50 being formed with a screwthreaded opening I50. This base I50 terminates at the edge opposite the contact member I52 in 2. depending leg portion I56 corresponding to either one of the leg portions shown in Figures 1 to 13 inclusive.

It will be quite apparent from the above disclosure that the terminal members are of such a construction that the same are rigidly and securely held in associated relation to the body of material to which the same are attached. The legs of certain of the embodiments are so disposed in spaced relation as to securely attach these terminal members to the body of material and serve to prevent lateral movement of these terminal members in relation to the body of material even though the same may. be subject to severe use.

While I have herein described and upon the drawing shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

, 1. An electrical device comprising a body having a recess comprising a relatively shallow portlon and a relatively deep portion, a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed in said shallow portion and substantially flush with said body, said base having a contact member eretending therefrom, and a leg extending from said baseand into said deep portion, said leg having a part extending from said base and a return part, said return part being resiliently compressible relative to said first part whereby said parts engage oppositely disposed walls of said deep por tion to hold said member in place.

2. electrical device comprising a body having a recess, a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed on said body and having a contact member extending therefrom, and a leg extending from said base and being received in said recess, said leg having a part formed with a roughened surface engaging a wall of said recess and a resiliently compressible return portion engageable with an opposite wall of said recess for forcing said roughened surface into engagement with said wall for holding said member in place.

3. An electrical device comprising a body having a recess, a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed on said body and having a contact member extending therefrom, and a leg extending from said base and being received in said recess, said leg having a part formed with a roughened surface engaging a face of said recess and a resilient return portion and compressible upon engagement with an opposite face of said recess for forcing said roughened surface into engagement with said first-named face and adapted to embed itself in said opposite face for locking said member in place.

4. An electrical device comprising a body having spaced recesses, a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed on said body and having a contact member extending therefrom, and spaced legs extending from said base and being lug extending laterally thereof and compressible upon engagement with an opposite face of said recess to hold said terminal member in place, said lug having an end portion adapted to embed. itself into said face to lock' said terminal member in said recess, said legs being angularly disposed with respect to one another.

5. An electrical device comprising a body having a recess, a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed on said body and having a contact member-extending therefrom, and a leg extending from said base and being received in said recess, said leg having a part extending from said base and a return part, said return part being resiliently compressible relative to said first part whereby said parts engage oppositely disposed walls of said recess to hold said member in place.

6. A terminal membercomprising a base, a contactmember extending from one side oi! said base, and-a leg extending from the other side of said base, said leg having a part extending tromsaid i base providedwith a roughened surface and a resiliently compressible return part, said lastnamed part. having a laterally extending end formed with a substantially knife edge at its outer extremity. v

7. A terminal member comprising a base, a contact member extending from one side of said base, and a plurality of legs extending from the other side of said base, each of said legs having a part extending from said base and a resiliently compressible return part, each of said first-named parts being in non-parallel relation and having a roughened surface.

. 8. A terminal member comprising a base, a contact member extending from-one side of said base, and a plurality of legs extending from the other side of said base, each of said legs having a part extending from said base and a resiliently compressible returnfpart, each of said first-named parts being in parallel relation and having a roughened surface.

9. An electrical device comprising a body having a plurality of recesses, a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed on said body and having a contact member extending therefrom, and a plurality of legs extending from said base, each of said legs having a part extending from said base in non-parallel relation to the others and engageable with a wallof a recess and a resiliently compressible part engageable with the opposite wall ofthe recess for forcing said leg parts into contact with the walls of said recess for holding said member in place.

10. An electrical device comprising a body having a plurality of recesses," a terminal member therefor comprising a base disposed on said body and having a contact member extending therefrom, and a plurality oi legs extending from said base, each of said legs having a part extending a from said base in parallel relation to the others and engageable with a wall of a recess and a resil 

